it's official.

So I finally got my diploma framed. I kept it in the DO NOT FOLD package it came in through the mail to constantly remind me to DO NOT FOLD. I am not good with official documents. When I was handed our Marriage Certificate after we sealed the deal, they told me it was better if the wife took care of this important paper.
Boy did I fool them!
For some reason I thought it would be ok if I rolled it up and put in in my purse. This later became all rolled up and crinkled in my purse. When my mom later asked for it so she could frame it, I am sure she was not surprised at all when I handed her what looked like "the homework my dog had eaten." I don't know what Wendy (the framer) did to make it look normal again but she delivered! It probably involved an iron.

When I got this in the mail, Kevin told me to be careful.
"This is the most expensive piece of paper you will ever handle," he said.
And boy is that true.
But then I got thinking...Shouldn't this be printed on gold or a copper plate ( I mean c'mon we have one the the largest copper mines right here in the valley)? Or, at least, hard card-stock. Ten cent printer paper is just not cuttin' it for me.
C'MON!
At least the seal on it makes it look good.

I get a lot of questions from people after I tell them I am a graduate. They ask "So what are you going to do with it now?!" "What is your career path?" "How old are you?"
Now let me answer these for you.
I am old enough to be a graduate. I am 23 years of age, not 18 or 19 or 14 for that matter.
For now, I am happy with the job I have now. I know it is not related to my degree in any manner. But I like it. I get good money. I work good hours. My Boss is a great guy and extremely generous and I work with great people. What's not to like?

"Why would I go to college and spend all that hard work just so I could be a waitress now?!"
Well, to be honest I have never seen myself as a career lady. Thinking of sitting at a desk, answering a phone all day gives me anxiety. That is not something I want to do. I like to move and interact while I work. With my job, I do just this.

I went to school so I could experience college, earn a degree (for if anything were to happen to Kevin, I could get a real job), push myself, learn, interact with students my age, learn how to be independent, and gain respect for myself. And I did just this. So I am happy. It is quite an accomplishment to graduate from college, so I don't really appreciate when people counter that statement with "Well you didn't do anything with it..."

I went with a degree that I could use for the rest of my life, something that interested me, and will continue to interest me. I use my degree every day.

And one day I want to be a mom and only a mom.

And a thank you.

recipe: stuffed peppers

Kevin really loved these! And BONUS...they were easy!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 green bell peppers
1-2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
EVOO
1/2 cup uncooked jasmine* rice
1 can tomato soup
2 TB Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
salt and pepper (of course)
1 t Italian seasoning
Shredded cheese
Corn (optional, I added it for fun. FUN)

Cook the rice.
Preheat oven to 350.
In the EVOO, sauté the onions 3 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Add Italian seasoning to beef.
Cut tops off peppers. And bottom if they don't stand up on own.
Combine worcestershire, garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper with tomato soup.
Fill half full with beef, cover with sauce, corn, then cheese. Repeat.
Easy-peasy.

Bake for 35 min-60 minutes. My oven is retarded and makes its own rules. Really just bake until warm throughout and cheese on top is a nice golden brown.

*Ok am I the only one to recently discover jasmine rice? IT. IS. SO. GOOD. Geeze, I have been using regular rice for so long and have been constantly disappointed whenever I cook it. Well look no further Malorie! Jasmine rice is here. Always good. Always fluffy. Always flavorful. I am forever hooked.

vote for her

Here is my cute friend Kaitlin. Isn't she the cutest pregnant momma?
I think you should vote for her in this hot mamma/baby bump contest.
If she wins, she gets a dream nursery and $500 to help with the many baby costs (ha, like I would know...but I can imagine.).
She wants to give the prize to her brother and sister-in-law who just found out their baby has Spina bifida.
This is a congenital disorder where the neural tube does not completely develop and fuse together.

She could use your vote!!

Go here and vote now!
You can vote every day until the 29th. Do it.

unbroken

Ok this is the best book I have read in a long, long, long time. It might be my all-time favorite. I am only half-way through it, even though I could have read it in a day. I am making myself read it sloowwww so I can cherish it. This is hard since I am a professional book skimmer.

I find myself constantly chuckling out loud, this Louis Zamperini (I could say that name over and over again, and I have...) was one funny guy. Books that make me chuckle are good books.

Its so good that I have been having to share it with Kevin. I just can't stop myself. Now Kevin is realizing that he will want to read this book someday so he has begged me to stop telling him about it. But I can't hold it in. I find myself blurting out:

"Ahhh Kevin he did ______!"
"________ happened on their mission, can you believe it!"
"Ahhh man Kevin he just pulled ______ prank on him! ha!"
"Kevin, there are sharks! SHARKS!!"
"HE CAN FEEL THE SHARKS UNDERNEATH THEM!"
"A great white SHARK, Kevin!"
"A BOMBER!!"
"Kevin this book is so good!"

I feel like I have whats called Unbroken Tourette's Syndrome.
Poor Kevin can't take it anymore. He just walks away now.

Image via

treats treats treats

I am usually a cookie kind of girl but lately I have been on a brownie and bar rampage. Rampage I tell you. I just barely came upon these things called brownies. I had forgotten about this easy, yummy dessert until someone said the word "Brownie" at work and all the glorious, delicious memories came flooding back. How did I ever forget about these things?

I usually don't have someone to share my treats with since husband isn't the biggest fan of treats (why!? why!? WHY!?), but since we are Patrick-sitting, treat making is fun again! He loves my late night treat making. Hooray!

I came upon this recipe because my sister-in-law accidentally left her batch of these bars with us for a night. And boy did we enjoy them for the small amount of time they were with us. The next morning when she took them away, I had to make my own. They were too good.

Oatmeal Chocolate Caramel Bars

*Makes 9X13-inch pan of bars

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup melted butter

14 ounce bag of caramels
1/2 cup whipping cream or milk
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degree. Mix the first six ingredients together and sprinkle half on the bottom of a 9X13-inch baking pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, melt the caramels and whipping cream or milk in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave at 50% power, stirring often, until the mixture is smooth. When the bars have been removed from the oven, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the crust and pour the melted caramel over the top. Sprinkle the rest of the crust over the top and bake in the oven for an additional 10-12 minutes, until the caramel is bubbling and edges are lightly browned. Cool the bars completely before serving so they can set up properly.

Recipe via here

we love us some texas roadhouse

After a long days of work at Snogression, we decided to treat ourselves and little Patrick to some good ol' steak. Kevin loves the prime rib and usually I just share it with him, but today I opted for the sirloin. And boy was it good. I of course had to have my ketchup with it...Ketchup always goes with steak. Always.



Thats an action shot of me a sqeezin the ketchup out. Oh yeah. And an awkward picture of me taking a picture of myself so I could prove that I was there too.

Why is this place always crazy and loud? We got stuck with this huge birthday party who loved screaming and singing. My Great Aunt Katie (who is 94) once took me and Kevin out to dinner and instead of Golden Coral (thank goodness) she opted for Texas Roadhouse because "You kids love loud places like this!" No, not even us Aunt Katie.

And why do the seaters that take you to your table always have to converse with you? It's like buddy, I don't want to talk to you, just take me to my table, my day has been fine thank you and yes I have been here before. Yada yada yada. And the walk to the table is sooo long. Your too social Texas Roadhouse, too social. Good thing you have good food.

fresh pickins'

Me and Ellie had ourselves a little adventure in Grandma's garden. While I took pictures, she picked and ate, picked and ate and ate some more. She loved the tomatoes. I'd show her how to take the stems off and throw them to the ground before eating and she would take them off and eat them as well. She doesn't like to waste.


Get that bum outta ma face!!





Benny definitely stole that peach out of Ellie's hand right after this picture was taken. No good Benny, no good.